Arthur Smith's Hollywood Odyssey

When Richard Gere was severely injured and hospitalized in the ICU, Arthur quickly appeared on the set of Sleepless in Seattle.

Photos of Richard Gere being carried out naked from a nightclub bathroom made it to the newspapers, shocking everyone with his miserable state!

The police believed that Richard Gere was the target of a designated revenge attack by an enemy. However, such incidents aren't uncommon in Hollywood nightclubs, so they could only investigate slowly.

But for the crew of Pretty Woman, this was bad news. After shooting for more than a week, the lead actor had an accident; Moreover, that night, the male and female leads were both out to unwind at the nightclub, and Julia Roberts also had to cooperate with the police in investigating Richard Gere's assault case!

"Director, I heard Gary Marshall's Pretty Woman has stopped filming?" Arthur chatted with Nora Ephron on set.

Nora Ephron shrugged, "It's probably just a temporary halt. The male lead only filmed for a week, so they can just recast and reshoot. Besides, their first choice for the lead was Al Pacino, but he wasn't interested in the story!"

Arthur smiled, "Now they wouldn't even have a chance to get Al Pacino back if they wanted to, as Coppola's The Godfather Part III is about to start filming."

"Forget it, Marshall will likely invite Christopher Reeve to save the day. He initially wanted this Superman to play the lead," Nora Ephron clapped her hands while talking,

"Alright, let's get to work!"

Arthur nodded, but the mention of Christopher Reeve gave him pause. Over the past decade, Christopher Reeve had starred in four Superman movies!

Anyhow, Pretty Woman would need to start filming again, and Richard Gere's incident wasn't minor, so the movie was unlikely to release next summer. Sleepless in Seattle would have no competition of the same genre during its summer release!

Arthur's role in Sleepless in Seattle was minimal, but since he wrote the script, he often discussed the storyline with Nora Ephron.

Perhaps because it was Nora Ephron's first time directing, her demands were quite high. However, as filming progressed, she became more adept!

"Tom acts so well," remarked Arthur, watching Tom Hanks from a distance.

Standing beside Arthur was Tom Hanks' Greek wife, Rita Wilson. The couple had just married last year. Hearing Arthur's praise, she smiled, "Nora said it was you who strongly recommended Tom to the crew, thank you!"

Rita Wilson played the role of the male lead's sister in Sleepless in Seattle. When the leading lady first arrived in Seattle, she mistakenly thought she was the male lead's new girlfriend.

At this point, Tom Hanks had yet to prove his position. He was still seen as a late-blooming comedy star.

Tom Hanks hadn't yet earned the same recognition as the other Tom, Tom Cruise!

Arthur shook his head, "Tom's acting skills are undeniable. I'm not the only one who believes in him; I'm confident he'll become a superstar in the future..."

Rita Wilson was obviously delighted to hear such high praise for her husband, "Tom takes acting very seriously!"

At the end of November, during Thanksgiving, Arthur returned to Los Angeles, and the Sleepless in Seattle crew would head to New York the following week.

Having finished filming Mermaids, Winona Ryder also got a role in The Godfather Part III!

Northridge, at Arthur's home.

"The Godfather Part III crew gave you the role of the Don's daughter?" Arthur asked, holding Winona Ryder as they sat on the sofa.

Winona Ryder nodded, "Yes, Jessica already had me sign the contract, and I'll be heading to the set in Italy by mid-December!"

Seeing the smile on Winona Ryder's face, Arthur couldn't help but feel uneasy, wondering if this was good or bad news?

Could it be that Winona Ryder might be replaced by the The Godfather Part III crew after joining, as Francis Ford Coppola might want his own daughter in the role?

After all, Sofia Coppola appeared in The Godfather since she was born; the baby in the baptism scene at the end of the first part was Sofia Coppola.

Not to mention, Sofia Coppola had appeared in many of Francis Ford Coppola's films over the years. Arthur was certain that if Sofia Coppola asked for it, the role in The Godfather Part III would be hers!

Most of the The Godfather series' cast and crew were of Italian descent, and the Coppola family was truly Sicilian immigrants. Additionally, actors like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were also Italian;

Winona Ryder was of Soviet Jewish descent, clearly not in the same circle.

"Italy sounds great, but New York's set should also be involved," Arthur was primarily interested in when Sofia Coppola might replace Winona Ryder.

Winona Ryder, snuggling up to Arthur, said, "First, we will shoot scenes in Sicily and the Vatican in Italy, then return to Manhattan in New York for more scenes!"

"If I have time, I'll go to Italy with you," Arthur replied, kissing Winona Ryder.

"Really?" Winona Ryder was thrilled but then shook her head, "But you are headed to New York to film next week. Do you really have time?"

Arthur smiled, "My scenes are quite few, just some casual ones with Meg Ryan. Going to New York will be done quickly, and the rest of the work is already planned out by the director. I don't need to be on set all the time!"

Sleepless in Seattle would wrap up in mid-January next year; with a romantic comedy, filming was straightforward.

Winona Ryder kissed Arthur on the lips, "Then, we can spend some time in Sicily, treating it as a winter break in the Mediterranean!"

Arthur reluctantly nodded, not wanting to reveal the truth to Winona Ryder. It was quite possible she wouldn't have to go to Italy at all.

Soon enough, Winona Ryder and her agent might receive news from Francis Ford Coppola about replacing her!

"Dear, if anything happens, remember to call me first," Arthur pointed to the phone nearby,

"I'll be there immediately!"

Winona Ryder, only 18, worried Arthur, fearing she might react impulsively. After all, this was the renowned Francis Ford Coppola. The Coppola family was not to be trifled with!

Winona Ryder, unconcerned, climbed onto Arthur's lap, "Yes, I will..."

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.